Emmerdale actress was crying in toilets when teacher’s gesture ‘saved her life’

An ex-Emmerdale actress has revealed the moment a teacher saved her life when she was at school.

Gemma Oaten uploaded a picture of her hugging her former maths teacher Mr McDougal to her Instagram account.

The actress said that, despite leaving school in 2000, he has remained part of her life, reports Hull Live.

She wrote: "Today I went to visit this amazing man. Mr McDougal. My maths teacher from Malet Lambert.

"I left school in 2000 and he has remained part of my life ever since.

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"The reason he is so special to me, isn't because of grades, it's because he was monumental in helping me get through school, the bullying, and the eating disorder, and just life really.

"Here's an idea of what this man did and he doesn't realise it but he helped save my life.

"I was crying in the cubicle in the girls toilets in 1996, everyone had gone to lessons and I couldn't face it. He came in and called out and found me quietly sobbing.

"He then told me to come sit with him whilst he marked his papers in the maths cupboard.

"He let me sit with him and feel safe. I couldn't face the next lesson and sobbed.

"He hugged me, told me to get my coat and bag and drove me home to my mum and dad's."

Gemma said that the one small act changed her life.

"It saddens me in many ways that teachers just can't do that these days but it fills my heart that he could then and it was done out of the most amazing care.

"If he hadn't have taken me home, I don't know what I would have done that day.

"Life could have been very different. I'm not sure I'd have had one. The power of teachers.

"Even though I was going through hell, he and many other teachers kept me going.

"I remember singing "to sir with love" at our final concert by Lulu when I left school. I meant every word.

"Teachers, I salute you, know the work you do lasts way beyond. Today was precious."

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